James Dirig, Fremont High School Math Teacher was named Teacher of the year in the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly. This is what Jim had to say in his article.
What inspired you to become an educator? Great educators inspired me to become a teacher. Most influential to me was my 11th-grade English teacher, James Keeslar, who challenged me to think deeper while allowing me to develop my creativity. Early in my career, I even had the opportunity to work beside Mr. Keeslar as a fellow teacher.
What drew you to your specific subject of teaching? I intended to become an English teacher, but after working in a math tutoring lab at college, I realized my passion for math. The math tutoring job was an opportunity that shaped my career path.
What has been the most challenging part of your career? The biggest challenge during my 29 years as a teacher has been to stay relevant and flexible in the ever-changing educational landscape. Luckily, I’ve had the honor to work with excellent colleagues and administration that have supported and collaborated with me to better educate our students.
What has been the most rewarding part of your career? The most rewarding part of my career has been the personal and professional relationships, including meeting my wife, who is also a teacher.
Are you involved in any community groups? My school is my community, and so my time is spent both inside and outside the classroom supporting and interacting with students and their families. I can be found cheering at Friday night football, supporting the school musical, assisting in National Honor Society volunteer hours, and lending a hand at many other school/community events.
Tell us about an interaction with a student that you will never forget. Helping students to learn math has always been fulfilling. A time I will never forget happened when my math academic team received 1st place at the state tournament in 2013. The team was ecstatic. What an amazing group of math students!
What advice would you give to someone who would like to be an educator? Have a passion for your subject and the desire to share that passion with your students.
Do you have any books to recommend? There’s a book called “How to Lie With Statistics,” written by Darrell Huff. The book describes how to avoid the misuses of statistics in a reader-friendly style. I like to recommend this book to students because I think it will help them to better understand how math works in our daily lives.